[Posted with approval of moderators. This can be an ongoing effort as questions/suggestions come forth]

A Rookie Guide to using your UER account

Congratulations on your purchase of your brand new UER account. Your account has been created with the finest quality materials available and we are certain that once you open the box and unpack your account, that you will quickly become delighted with the features available.

Before turning your UER account on for the first time, we recommend that you follow these simple operating instructions to avoid personal injury. Please remember to change the air filter in your UER account once every three months or otherwise you may void your warranty.

To avoid being rejected right off the bat, don’t ask for Full Membership status immediately. There are many other members who have attempted to do so within days of registering a new account and this leaves other people little basis to vouch for you.

Factors taken into consideration may include any contributions to the message forums, people who can vouch for you, strikes against you for whatever reason, and any images that you post of places that you’ve been.

4) Why must I wait seven days before posting?

By restricting new members to a seven day wait, this cuts down on undesirable messages which might be considered spam or malicious. In addition it allows new members significant time to understand how UER works and what sort of guidelines are generally followed.

Due to the large number of new people posting in the “New Member? Introduce Yourself Here” thread, it is entirely possible that you will not receive a response. Don’t take this as a sign of anyone being unfriendly – sometimes you’ll receive a reply, other times you won’t.

Generally it is not permitted for members to abuse newcomers. Please bear in mind that sometimes the questions asked by new users can be repetitious or silly. With these questions you may receive some sarcastic or harsh sounding replies. Please don’t let this discourage you from continuing to ask for assistance; we’ve all been a new member at some point in time.

You could post a complete photo dump of your digital camera’s memory card but reconsider doing so. Do you really want to post a blurry photo or a photo of your friend urinating on a fence?

If you feel that your photos are decent quality and that others would enjoy them, by all means. There is also a “Photo Critique” message board where you may have your work commented upon by others. This serves as constructive criticism to better help you in your efforts.

Finding a POE (point of entry) is part of the thrill of exploration. It is not permitted to publicly post POE details in the forums so please don’t ask (or offer up any). This isn’t to say that someone won’t message you with the details you require.

2) If I post a location on the forum, how do I know if someone else has been there already

- Depending on whether the location is for Full Members only, you may not know. If it’s a new location for everybody (and it’s happened) then you will be hailed as a hero and showered with free gifts and alcohol.

- If it’s an existing location, no harm done, posting photos shows that you like to contribute content.

- If/When you become a Full Member any photos that you have posted to the forums will NOT be automatically included into the locations database. You will need to create a new location or add photos into an existing location entry in order to include your content.

- Please do not post other people’s photos (eg. Flickr). Chances are that not only will that person already be on UER but you will quickly find yourself up against great odds when asking for full access.

3) I'd like to ask people for places to explore.

It is generally discouraged to do this. The reason is that for many UER members, they have earned their keep by sharing their own locations with other people. For someone to create a new account and immediately ask for handouts will not go over too well.

The catch-22 of course is how to find locations in your area without having access to the Full Member area and without asking for handouts.

4) How do I find out about locations in my area when I am a Basic Member and people aren’t willing to give them to me?

There are a few ways. By no means is this the entire list of possibilities:

a) Find someone local to you on UER to see if they would be willing to explore with you

b) Google Map your area and be observant of buildings located in isolated locations as well as empty parking lots during regular business hours

c) It never hurts to search your local newspaper archive for terms such as ‘abandoned’, ‘demolition’, ‘derelict’. You might be pleasantly surprised.

d) Take a drive down the back roads of your area.

e) Browse your local real estate website.

f) Flickr

5) I found the most amazing bottle/poster/equipment and I'd like to bring it home.

There have been many discussions related to taking items from locations. In each case it comes down to legalities and ethics. There are many people who follow the guideline of “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints”. By preserving these sites, it ensures follow-up visitors will have an equally enjoyable experience. There are also those who do not abide by this motto.

Remember that kicking open doors and ripping boards off of windows constitutes break and enter. This guide will not serve as a legal guide. Use your own judgment.

If you feel timid about trespassing, then try asking for permission if possible.

6) I’ve made a friend or two over the Internet and I want to go exploring with them. Is it safe? Is it safe to venture out alone?

Common sense prevails.

Maybe you want to let someone know where you are going, and with whom you are going with (although UER is an alias based community). Carry a cell phone with you. There are many people who are willing to take on a new member in their explorations. This is a great way to prove yourself providing you’re not a serial arsonist, etc.

Females of course should exercise caution, which can be said for meeting anybody over the Internet regardless of what forum you are using. Consider attending a large-scale UER meet (based out of Toronto) or other special event. Bring a friend with you.

Only you know what you are comfortable with… no guide can tell you otherwise.

Also note that possession of burglary tools, spray paint or concealed weapons may not go over so well if you are caught by the police.

8) I visited a location that I found in the database and it was gone, GONE I TELL YOU!

Some locations do end up being demolished. Be particularly wary of locations that have not seen recent photos for a few years and perhaps try using Google Maps first. You might also want to try to organize your road trip so that you have a few other backup locations to visit.

When you have an incoming message, the Messages icon will flash, an audio alert will sound, and a "You have 1 unread AvBoard message!" will appear at the top of every page until you read it. If you are offline at the time, an e-mail notification will be sent.

3) I accidentally posted the same response/new thread twice. How do I delete it?

I have a kinda silly question... How come I can see some abandonments? I thought you had to be a full member to see that in the LDB.. It does not say demolished. Is it because it is mostly common knowledge? Also whats the magical wolf/fox star? Just wonderin.

Posted by LauraL42I have a kinda silly question... How come I can see some abandonments? I thought you had to be a full member to see that in the LDB.. It does not say demolished. Is it because it is mostly common knowledge?

Entries in the database can be marked as available to full members only, so anything that isn't marked as such is visible to everyone.

I know this is going to sound stupid I know it but im ready for the slack, I am trying to change my profile personal pic thing but I can't. Every time I try it says "file too large" but I'm a pro at ps and have tried resizing the actual image, i've tried resizing the properties, I've tried cropping and its that same with every pic I use. Any tips?

There are varying degrees of evil. We urge you lesser forms of filth not to push the bounds and cross over into true corruption, into our domain.

Posted by Mrs.MarniI know this is going to sound stupid I know it but im ready for the slack, I am trying to change my profile personal pic thing but I can't. Every time I try it says "file too large" but I'm a pro at ps and have tried resizing the actual image, i've tried resizing the properties, I've tried cropping and its that same with every pic I use. Any tips?

Ensure your DPI is low (72dpi) and/or use Save for Web function in PS? Max image size is 150 pixels by 150 pixels. Outside of that- try uploading with a different browser?